Creating the best you can, with what you have, based on what you know.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Leftovers

Despite my best advice I know many of you went ahead and let Madison Avenue dictate your food tradition with the inevitable turkey. Now you have leftovers and want recipes that will make your turkey leftovers exciting.

First, make sure all the meat is carved off of the bone. Throw the bones in a large stock pot with some garlic, onion, celery, carrots, salt and herbs and simmer all day. The house will smell incredible and you will have the basis for several good soups once it is strained.

Now have your turkey sandwich, that's what you really wanted anyway.

For dinner tonight mix half your leftover potatoes and all of your stuffing together. Make into small patties and press the patties into some panko bread crumbs. Warm some of the sliced turkey in the gravy and crisp the patties in a nonstick skillet with some olive oil. Serve with the warm turkey.

TWO DAYS LATER: The stock is made and you are sick of the bird. Can you freeze it? Yes....layer the sliced turkey with chilled stock and freeze in airtight containers. A month from now you can have more sandwiches or some curried turkey salad.

Oh no...still more potatoes...okay..

Take the rest of the mash and stir into some turkey stock. Now saute some leeks in butter and puree in a bit more stock and stir into the potato soup. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Have with a salad, you really are NOT in the mood for heavy food right now.

For the dressing take the cranberry sauce, add some oil, vinegar and mustard. It's really a good dressing.